Saturday, September 01, 2007
9:07 pm
Singapore IT Fair 2007: Survival Skills & Tips 101
1. Know What You're Looking For
You're not actually going to an IT fair just because you want to "shop", are you? If you are, then you have no idea what you've signed yourself up for.
Back to the topic on hand, you must have a list of the gadgets that you want to get, or maybe an idea of the things that you may want to get, or those that you're lacking because, obviously, the prices are way lower than usual.
Almost every stall has the name or type of the product that they sell pasted at the top of their booth so just skim through until you're eyes catch on the thing or brand that you're looking for, and you don't have to walk all the way up just to ask about it.
2. Take Only What You Need
Since you already know what you want, ignore everyone who wants to give you a flyer except for the ones who have what you're looking for. Makes it easier for you to hold onto the things in your hand and you won't end up with lots of unnecessary catalogues.
3. Must Take Catalogues
Prices. It's all about paying the minimum for the best you can get.
All the information are displayed at the top of the booth but why waste your memory remembering everything? Why waste your time copying those down? Ask for a catalogue, and fold it so that only the information you want is folded up facing you. Easy reference, no?
4. Below The Age Of 12 And The Women Above the Age of 35
See the above age limit? Never bring those people along.
There will be lots of jostling and bumping into people. Kids are hard to take along and watch out for at the same time, while women at that age are like kids at age 5- attracted to anything and everything- only worse, because they have the "auntie" mentality.
"Oh look, what's that?"
"Hey, that's so cheap!"
Even my sister follows me closer than my mother did. Had to resort to pulling her along the same way I did for my sister just so she wouldn't get lost in the crowd.
Oh and please don't bring your pregnant wife along. IT fairs are never safe for them.
5. Be Considerate
When people knock into you, don't get pissed.
When people step on you, don't get pissed.
When someone smells strange, don't give the evil eye.
Despite what they say about the 4 metres aisle width, it gets pwned by the half of Singapore's population that somehow made it in.
Let me repeat myself: There will be lots of jostling and bumping into people.
So if you see little kids and pregnant women, just give them enough space so they don't get hurt. And although it's air-conditioned, it is still a contained area. Odours don't get to escape that easily. Just bear with it; you're not window-shopping anyway.
6. NEVER Be Considerate
I'm contradicting myself? Pish-posh. I am doing no such thing.
You don't want to stay in that sardine-can-impersonation of a crowd, do you? So be rude. It's a necessity.
You see a space in front of you? Walk fast and cover it before anyone else who walks slower than you does.
You see a gap between the two people in front of you? Chances are, they walk slower than you. Squeeze through and overtake them.
You see a gap between the two people in front of you that's only 80% of your body width? Who cares about knocking other people? Chances are, they walk slower than you. Just step through and overtake them.
You see a gap between the two people in front of you that's only 90% of your body width measured from the side? Repeat above suggestion.
I'm sure anyone can do it. I did it while carrying my crumpler. And everyone knows that a crumpler ain't the smallest sling bags around.
7. Walk Fast
If you master skill 6, walking fast will get you through just fine. Remember, don't run, don't walk.
Brisk walk.
Please appreciate the subtleness in that.
8. Don't Stay Inside
After mastering skill 6 and 7, it shouldn't take you long to breeze through the whole place with only the catalogues that you need. When you have all that, move out to analyse your finds and pick the one you want. You don't want to stand there in the middle of the aisle and let everyone else knock you left, right and centre, do you?
9. Be Prepared For Every Type of Payment
You won't know which booth accepts what and doesn't accept what. Bring every credit card you have and withdraw enough money if you dare to carry cash around like that.
10. Freebies and Luck Draw
For every S$100 you spend or deposit, there's one chance for the lucky draw. Remember to bring a pen to fill out your particulars. For DBS card holders, there's free coffee outside the furthest entrance at the 6th floor. I'm not sure if there's one at the 4th floor though.
Well, granted there isn't 101 tips, the above 10 should be enough to get you through.
The IT fair is there until Sunday (tomorrow) so if you want to get a good deal on gadgets, there's only one day left.
It's held at the Suntec Singapore International Convention And Exhibition Centre, lots of Sony stuff on the 3rd floor, computer and laptops on the 4th and other equipment on the 6th.
This is what I braved the crowd, my crowd-panic, my crowd-anxiety and a possible crowd-headache for.
A Sumsung Prezmate SATA 120gb external hard drive.
It's difficult to see from the photograph but it comes with a black velvet pouch. Lovely.
Cost me $129. WY managed to snag one at $121 though.
Anyway~
I had a great night yesterday! I slept for 11 hours until waking up at a little past 9 this morning.
I'll just go take a shower now and then pop in the next DVD.
Perhaps I'll watch The Terminal.
I watched Disney and Pixar's Cars yesterday afternoon, by the way. Now I finally understand why JT used to say that Cars was very cute. It really is. And there's the little but heartfelt lesson inside as well.
It pays to be a Disney fanatic.
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